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The Driving Force Behind Smart Cities : Innovation

Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Columbus, OH a $40 million grant to assist in upgrading its current infrastructure to one of a smart city, and according to a recent The Daily Beast article, more and more cities are working feverishly to transform their current infrastructures as well.

But what is a smart city, and how will they impact the future?

In April, smart city industry leaders Cisco, Black & Veatch, Microsoft and Phillips Lighting gathered at the 2016 Edison Awards in New York to discuss the growth of the smart city culture and along with the global push for smart countries.

Bob Bennett, Chief Innovation Officer, City of Kansas City joined panel guests and provided some insight as to how Kansas City is building its smart city with the help of Google Fiber and how the technology company has changed the way Kansas City works.

But again, many ask “what’s the benefit of a smart city infrastructure for the public and why should cities look towards adapting this futuristic way of thinking?” Black & Veatch VP Clint Robinson addressed this question by explaining how moving a city to a grid like infrastructure will allow the city to be better prepared in case of a natural disaster.

The world is changing; innovation and imagination are taking over. Self-driving cars and connected cities are no longer a futuristic idea, and cities around the globe must prepare their infrastructures for this rapid growth in technology, or be left behind.